Hello, last year I wrote an application that could date an Epiphone guitar based on its serial number. I have since converted it from a windows application to a web application and have subsequently added the Gibson brand to it. My ultimate goal is to support most brands out there.

Currently Only Epiphone and Gibson are supported, however I'm working on Fender and Ibanez right now. The Fender section should be up in 2 weeks.

Each for each brand I have slightly different objectives apart from being able to date the guitar for a given brand. For Epiphone and Ibanez guitars, I'm trying to track down all the OEM's that they use to make their guitars. I have also made it so that owners of such guitars can rate the quality of the guitar, thereby giving an approximation of level of craftsmanship at a given factory. I am also trying to ascertain what models these factories make for each brand and how many brands do they make guitars for.

For Gibson guitars their is far less mystery, however I believe that the factories in Nashville divide number ranges (those last three digits) among themselves for the various models. Considering that each factory produces guitars using the same 500-999 range, there must be some division to ensure no duplicates numbers are produced.

I also try to find production information for each factory, some are harder than others to find) along with a link to a factory tour or an official website.

If I can get a large enough sample, I may be able to see a pattern if any. When that happens I'll add my findings to the site.

You can let me know what you think and what you would like to see added to the site.

Excellent piece of work, JPW. I assume you're aware of the rexc site for dating Fenders by serial number? Fender themselves have some sort of facility. Wouldn't want you to have to do more work than you need but that's a useful resource you've produced there.

Thanks a lot, I appreciate the kind remarks. With regards to fairly well documented brands like Fender, I have a why not approach. I want to tackle as many brands as possible so, many of the less complex ones will be added for the sake of completion.

Joe, I did some other research and came up with unrelated Ibanez info. Hoshino (the parent co.) only briefly made in-house during the mid-60s. They used Fuji-Gen Gakki for their 70s and so-called "lawsuit" production.

OK Joe, I was looking up Greco once and you may find this link useful. There is info on Ibanez using the Kanda Shokai plant in Korea to make '90s Icemen and scroll further down for horse's mouth info on when and where Ibanez (Hoshino) had guitars made in Japan.